Energy Communities: key learnings
On 4 December 2024, the Policy Learning Platform organized a workshop in Budapest, Hungary. The event brought together around 70 public authorities and Interreg Europe project partners to discuss Europe’s future of Energy Communities.
What was the workshop about?
Energy communities empower local populations to produce, consume, and manage renewable energy, fostering sustainable development, reducing emissions, and boosting local economies through job creation and lower energy costs.
This workshop explored good practices for citizen engagement in establishing energy communities.
To learn more about this topic, explore the conclusions report our experts have prepared for you.
It contains insights related to the development of Energy Communities, as well as inspiring Interreg Europe good practices and policy recommendations.
Featured projects
Featured good practices
Citizen Engagement & Communication
The BIOWIND project highlights energy communities as a proven way to reduce resistance to wind turbines by sharing benefits with local populations. Their findings emphasize the importance of transparent communication through workshops, meetings, and consultations, along with incentives for participation. In Catalonia, for example, rural wind projects require at least 20% local ownership or financing.
The REC4EU project highlights the importance of citizen engagement and capacity-building for active participation in Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). Key messaging should focus on economic benefits, environmental impact, and social advantages like reducing energy poverty. They also stress the role of local champions and sharing REC success stories. REC4EU will publish an engagement guide for public authorities in February 2025.
The SHAREs project, funded by Horizon 2020, developed strategies for energy community communication across six countries. It identified stakeholder types—prosumers, consumers, multipliers, and investors—requiring tailored messaging. Key outputs include a one-stop-shop blueprint, adaptable communication materials, stakeholder typologies, and campaign messages, offering valuable tools for other regions.
Energy Community Support Programmes
The EnLuces initiative by the EnVerde co-operative supports energy community development through training, a promoter network, and a web platform. Ambassadors and local heroes inspire citizen involvement, while the platform fosters collaboration across sectors and offers resources, training, and a roadmap for establishing energy communities. In its first year, EnLuces facilitated the creation of four energy communities.
EKIOLA, led by the Basque Energy Agency and KREAN, develops energy communities through a structured process, including feasibility studies, permitting, and co-operative management. Municipalities raise awareness and provide land, while the Basque government funds initial investments, ensuring citizen confidence and high participation.
CIRENA supports energy community projects in Nouvelle Aquitaine by advising citizens and local authorities, structuring co-operation, accessing subsidies, and sharing good practices. Since 2017, it has aided over 50 projects, with nearly 2,000 citizens engaged in 2023.
As part of the workshop, RESCoop.eu ran a training session for the participants looking at socio-dynamic mapping of stakeholders, and the LICHT approach for setting up energy communities, and participants were invited to emulate the process for their own territory. Details on the socio-dynamic mapping can be found in the COMPILE Toolkit while the LICHT methodology can be found through RESCoop.eu. Additional guidance can be found in the guidebook Community Energy: A practical guide to reclaiming power and the RESCoop toolbox.
